


Alpha-Type Personality

by anonymousEDward



Series: Laserbox Omegaverse [3]
Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Biting, Collars, Courting Rituals, Courtship, Fingering, Genderqueer Characters, Knotting, Light Bondage, M/M, Riding, gender non-conforming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:28:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24115027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonymousEDward/pseuds/anonymousEDward
Summary: Laserblast and Boxman don't stop having sex after Laserblast fulfilled his promise. In fact, they seem to be moving towards something of a relationship. But that'd be ridiculous right?Except that's exactly what happens. And here's how.
Relationships: Carol/Eugene "Gar" Garcia, Lad Boxman/Laserblast (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes), Lord Boxman/Laserblast (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes), Lord Boxman/Professor Venomous (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes), Rippy Roo/OC
Series: Laserbox Omegaverse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1646065
Comments: 26
Kudos: 93





	Alpha-Type Personality

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it took so long. I've been having a rough time, lately. Hope y'all enjoy! Feed me comments to keep my fire going!

Laserblast expected that to be the end of it. He'd helped Boxman through his heat, Boxman had fucked him... they were basically even, right? It didn't matter if his scent made Laser's heart pound or if he had trouble sleeping when he wasn't wrapped around that short, round body.

No self-respecting villain would want a relationship with a hero, after all. Laserblast knew he wouldn't, were he in Boxman's shoes, that was for sure.

It didn't stop him from jumping at the opportunity to help Boxman through his next pseudo-cycle.

Cob, it had been so much better than that drawn out, terrifying first heat. Boxman had been a little feverish, of course, but otherwise, he'd been gloriously present - and not afraid to make his wants and needs known. Whether he was pulling Laser's hair or yanking at his collar or just barking out orders like "faster", "harder", "put your fucking back into it, come on, give it to me!", Boxman was so in charge, so confident.

It was so damn sexy...

And, of course, Boxman had taken him out to dinner the week after, as a thank you - a little taco stand in the Danger Zone where neither of them would be recognized.

And then they fucked in the alley afterwards. Laserblast wasn't exactly proud of himself for that. Well, maybe a little. He had been a little rough, though - brick walls weren't exactly easy on Boxman's back - so it only seemed fair to treat him to pizza later in the week.

And then they just... didn't stop. Honestly, had they both been betas (and also not, you know, enemies), Laserblast would have thought they were dating. Of course, unlike betas, alphas didn't "date", alphas courted. And courting Boxman was a terrible idea, obviously.

Even if, on occasion, Laserblast imagined proudly wearing his bite on his neck, curling up next to him every night, waking up to sharp-toothed grins and delicious, hideous breakfast concoctions.

"Whatcha thinking about, Laser?" Boxman asked, running soothing talons through his hair.

The acceptable answer was "you" and it even had the added bonus of being true. But for some Cob-forsaken reason, Laser said, "Courting."

"Oh," Boxman said. "Blech."

Well, that was a soul-crushing reaction...

"You, uh..." Laserblast knew it was a terrible idea but he couldn't stop himself. "You aren't... looking for something, er. Long term?"

Boxman had a sudden coughing fit.

"It's not-" he wheezed as Laser patted his back, "It's not that, it's a matter of pride!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Laser said, still bitter about having his hopes dashed.

"I'm a grown man," Boxman said. "I'm almost level -8, I run my own business - and business is good! Why would I want some alpha to condescend to me when I'm perfectly capable of getting my own food and buying my own trinkets? It's demeaning!"

Laserblast kept his expression neutral, only through years of practice. He wanted to lash out, but held back. "Oh," he said instead, rolling onto his side, away from Boxman.

He heard the bed creak as Boxman sat up straighter and could feel Boxman studying him.

"Oh..." Boxman said. "Laser, I... I really don't want to be courted. But I- I'm up for dating. You know, as equals. Like betas do."

Laserblast bit his lip, stomach still sour and roiling, though he had no idea why. "I guess. Sure."

Boxman huffed and grabbed his shoulder, manhandling him onto his back.

"Sorrey, I can't have this conversation with you like that."

"What conversation? It's fine. We can date."

"You don't exactly sound fine," Boxman said, studying him with mismatched eyes. "Why are you so hung up on courting?"

"Why aren't you?" Laser blurted. "Cob, why the hell wouldn't you want to be showered in gifts and affection? To feel valued? Treasured? How could you pass that up?!"

Boxman cocked his head, tapping his chin in thought. "Laser, do, uh... do you want to be courted?"

"Wha- me? Psh!" He crossed his arms, rolling his eyes. "I'm an alpha, remember? Alphas don't _get_ courted."

Okay, maybe that came out more bitter than he meant.

"I know that," Boxman said, settling in his lap and craning his neck until Laser met his gaze. "But do _you_ want to be courted?"

That question sent a rush of guilty pleasure through him, hot and warm in his stomach and cheeks.

"Well, uh..." _Cob damn it, Laser, pull it together!_ "I mean, who wouldn't want presents and pampering and- and stuff." He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to look more casual. "Er, besides you, of course."

He could feel Boxman studying him, probably analyzing his behavior the way he did with his robots. Usually, Laserblast loved having all that attention on him - even before they started this... whatever it was (dating?) he'd resented it when any hero, teammate or otherwise, took Boxman's attention off him.

Honestly, now that he knew Boxman was an omega, that reaction made a lot more sense in hindsight.

"Okay," Boxman said finally.

"Okay? Okay what?"

Boxman grinned, combing his talons through Laserblast's hair. "Okay as in 'okay, now get some sleep' because Fox-butt is probably going to call you in the next, oh-" He mimed checking a watch, "-two hours, asking when you're coming back to HQ."

Laserblast grasped that subject change like a lifeline.

"Oh, don't remind me," he said with an exaggerated shudder. "I swear that woman doesn't know the meaning of a day off!"

"There, there," Boxman crooned, stroking his hair one last time before rolling off Laser's lap to lie next to him, sprawled out like a particularly puffy pillow. "Come 'ere and let me comfort you," he purred.

Laser went gladly, first pressing his nose against Boxman's neck to breathe in his scent before smooshing his face into that warm, inviting chest, rubbing his cheek against the smattering of chest hair - well, chest feathers - clustered between those soft, round pecs.

"G'night, Boxy," Laser murmured, pressing one last peck to his lips.

"Night, Laser."

Boxman – Lord Boxman, as he'd privately began to think of himself – allowed himself a week to plan his campaign. Long enough for Laserblast to have stopped expecting it, but well before he gave up on their relationship.

And there was no beating around the bush anymore. It was definitely a relationship.

He still wasn't quite sure this was real. Laserblast wanted him. That alone was mind-boggling, no matter how many times they'd fucked. But this?

Laserblast had helped him through his heat. They'd experimented, quite successfully, with Boxman topping. And then they just kept going. Every time Boxman suggested a new restaurant, a food truck, an ice cream bar, Laser had jumped at the chance – even suggested other meet-ups. Sometimes they didn't even have sex, which was honestly a surprise.

The idea of being courted had always rubbed Boxman wrong. He'd been fiercely independent long before he presented as omega and the sudden addition of more rules and restrictions had chafed horribly.

Turning to villainy had been a liberation.

So when Laserblast had brought up courtship, Boxman hadn't handled it as delicately as he should have. He still felt just a bit guilty about that, but he'd needed to make things clear. His last relationship, back in college, he hadn't been clear enough. Gerald – the asshole – had assumed Boxman had been playing hard to get when he said he didn't want to be courted. All "Oh, you'll change your mind," and "All omegas want it," no matter what Boxman said. Of course, then Gerald got a whiff of his heat-scent and turned up his nose at him and… well, the rest was history.

So when courtship had been brought up, Boxman had been a little _overzealous_ about putting his foot down. But Laser… Well, Boxman should have known his Laser wasn't exactly typical either. It had never occurred to Boxman that Laserblast, as an alpha, would want to be courted – and a new world opened up to him.

The idea of being coddled was repulsive to Boxman, but the idea of wooing Laserblast was intriguing. Laserblast, who talked wistfully about being pampered and treasured, who rejected the idea of being courted with reluctance and envy. Laser, who couldn't quite bring himself to say yes when asked, despite the look of longing on his face.

Boxman hadn't expected to find himself so enthusiastic. He liked the power in it, taking the alpha role in courtship and being the one in control. He relished the idea of hours spent scheming to please his desired mate. He felt soft and warm as he imagined Laserblast's delight.

"You… wish to court Laserblast?" Mr. Logic asked, tapping his fingers together. His head spun around once as he processed the idea. "It was my understanding that you, as an omega, were the one who would be courted."

Boxman had to remind himself that Mr. Logic was young and didn't know any better. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Laserblast is not a typical alpha," he said, "and I am not a typical omega. We're doing it this way, got it?" He glared at his creation.

"Yes, father," Logic said meekly. "I do not understand, but I would like to see you happy. Therefore, if courting Laserblast would make you happy, I will endeavor to assist."

Boxman threw his arms around Logic. "What a good son you are!" he cried, swinging him around in a circle. Logic was still swaying a bit when Boxman put him back down, but he was smiling.

"I have not researched much about courtship," Mr. Logic confessed. "I would have, had I known this avenue was a possibility. For my failure, I am truly sorrey." He hung his head.

"That's okay, Logic," Boxman said, patting his back. "It's tradition for parents to teach their children about courtship! So this time, it's my job."

Logic lit up, eyes glowing with excitement. He got so giddy whenever Boxman referred to him as his son, rather than his creation and even now, the mere mention of father-son activities filled his circuits with joy like electricity. Back when Logic first encountered families through television, he had been devastated to realize he didn't have one. Boxman had pointed out that, as his creator, Boxman was technically his father. It had felt inadequate, only having himself to offer, but Mr. Logic had been overjoyed to have a family after all.

That hadn't stopped him from asking for siblings, though. Kids these days, right?

Boxman led Mr. Logic to his workshop and cleared off one of the many whiteboards. "Okay, let's keep this quick and easy. Every courtship tends to have a few basic components."

On the board, he wrote "PC TOADs go NB".

"Personal computer amphibians go northbound?" Mr. Logic's head did two full rotations, gears whirring.

"No, no, no! It's an acronym! No toads involved! Well, not usually." Laser probably wouldn't want toads, anyway. "It stands for Providing, Collars, Tokens of Affection, Displays, and Nest-Building."

Mr. Logic mouthed the words, ticking off his fingers. "Father, what does the 'go' stand for?"

"It doesn't stand for anything. It's just there to help the acronym make more sense."

"Oh, I see," said Mr. Logic, who very clearly did not.

Boxman turned back to face the board.

"Father?"

Boxman drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing his blood pressure to go down.

"Yes, Mr. Logic?" he asked between gritted teeth.

"What does the S stand for?"

"Just- It's an illogical human thing. Don't worry about it."

"Yes, father."

"So!" Boxman paused to clear his throat. "The first aspect is providing. Usually food, drinks, things like that."

"I have catalogued Laserblast's taste preferences observed over various late night and early morning meals at Boxmore," Mr. Logic supplied helpfully.

"And I've eaten out with him often enough that I can fill in any gaps," Boxman confirmed. "Start up a preliminary list – I'll add to it later, then we can whittle it down to something actionable."

"Affirmative."

"Usually the promise collar is included a few gifts in. Too early, you're implying you think your o- you _desired_ _mate_ is easy. Too late, you risk someone else snatching them up."

Mr. Logic had pulled out a data pad and was typing furiously; Boxman wasn't sure if he was working on the list or taking notes – knowing Logic? Probably both.

"Once he starts wearing the collar, that means he's declared himself off-limits to other partners. Not a guarantee, of course, since he can always take it off if he loses interest, but it's a good sign. Next comes the hard part."

"That would be Tokens of Affection," Mr. Logic said, seemingly eager to show his attentiveness. "What would qualify as such a thing?"

"Well that's where it gets a little more complicated. Some alphas go for expensive gifts like jewelry, others go personal – things their potential mate is already interested in. Avian adjacents usually give feathers, fabrics, colorful stones, that sort of thing. It's tradition."

"Do you intend to follow tradition?" Mr. Logic asked.

Boxman smirked. "Oh, don't you worry about that. I'll need all your focus for the last two steps."

"That would be Displays and Nest-Building," Mr. Logic said. "How can I help?"

"Well, there are a lot of ways to put on a proper display," Boxman explained. "Some alphas do dances, some make speeches… Now, for a villain such as myself, there's only one real option."

Boxman grinned, rubbing his hands together, a low cackle building in his throat. "An act of utter villainy. And I have just the thing."

Mr. Logic quailed slightly and Boxman tried to compose himself. Logic was a bit of a soft touch – that was why Boxman usually left him to handle the business side of things, rather than the criminal. It was a shame, but he'd sort of accepted that proper villainy was not in Logic's wheelhouse.

"I am unsure of how much assistance I will be," Mr. Logic admitted, unknowingly echoing Boxman's own thoughts. "I find that destruction is not something I excel at."

"You can help me plan. Maybe even orchestrate a nice, showy distraction, when the time comes. We'll need to put on a real show of force against POINT for one thing." Boxman grimaced. "Normally, the focus would be on the sheer spectacle of the display, but if I'm going to have any hope of succeeding in nest-building, well… failure isn't an option."

Logic shivered at his ominous tone, rattling slightly. "Yes father."

Carol grimaced at the taste of the new "coffee" Foxtail had brewed up, but she didn't let its un-coffee-like flavor dampen her excitement. There was just something so exciting about mornings, especially now that she shared a floor with POINT. She got to see the human side of her heroes - Foxtail wearing sweatpants and cursing at the toaster which had gotten jammed again, Dr. Greyman floating into the breakfast nook with his telekinesis, Rippy Roo rummaging around her pouch for instant coffee packets...

"M- morning Carol," El-Bow said, already dressed and ready for the day. "Can I sit next to you?"

He was so _cute,_ and sweet, too!

"Of course," she said, patting the seat next to her. He settled beside her, only for Rippy to edge away from them with a sneeze.

"I think I heard Laserblast moving around earlier," Carol confided, "so you're just in time to watch the show."

"The- the show?" El-Bow worried at the hem of his tank top.

"Buh buh buhbuh buh," Rippy said.

"Coffee hog is putting it lightly!" Carol said. "I can't wait to see how he reacts to this new stuff - it doesn't even taste like coffee. He's gonna flip!"

Carol giggled to herself. It was kind of cute watching Laserblast stumble around in the mornings - you'd think he hadn't slept at all! He kind of reminded her of a little puppy before it opened its eyes, stumbling around blindly.

"Will- will he be upset?" El- Bow asked.

Carol patted his arm reassuringly. It was a little sweaty, but El-Bow always seemed to be, at least in Carol's experience. "Aw, don't worry. I bet he'll be surprised, that's all! Maybe he'll make a funny face."

"Buh!"

"Well, uh... if you say so..."

Carol rubbed his arm, smiling when he leaned into it. At times like this, she wished she was an alpha - then maybe she'd have a chance with a sweet, brave omega like El-Bow...

Well, best to ignore it.

"Hnn..." Laserblast stumbled into the breakfast nook, banging his shoulder against the doorframe as he made a beeline for the coffeepot.

Foxtail grinned over the rim of her own mug as Laser poured himself a cup and even Dr. Greyman seemed more alert as they all waited breathlessly for his reaction.

Laserblast took a sip, then stopped. It was always a little hard to tell what he was looking at, what with his helmet and all, but Carol was sure he was staring down at the coffee.

"What. Is that."

Foxtail chuckled. "Someone sent us a whole damn crate of this flavored coffee crap. I thought we could give it a shot before we chuck it."

"Chuck it? Chuck it?? This is amazing!" Laserblast drained his mug and poured himself a refill.

"But it doesn't even taste like coffee!" Carol blurted.

"I _know_ ," Laser said with a grin. "Isn't it amazing? I hate coffee."

"Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh..." Rippy muttered, plugging in a second coffeemaker from her pouch to make her own.

"I need a lot of caffeine to get me going in the morning," Laser said defensively. "But seriously, give me that crate - clearly you can't appreciate it properly."

Carol noticed that he still hadn't relinquished his hold on the coffeepot, and was in fact cradling it to his chest with one arm.

"Fine by me," Foxtail said with a chuckle. "Any objections?"

Carol shrugged, looking to El-Bow.

"I don't drink coffee," he said, sinking down in the chair when the red visor turned to him.

Laserblast emptied the last of the pot into his mug before strolling away towards the elevators - probably heading towards the mailroom.

"That was exciting," Dr. Greyman said, settling onto the floor. "I wonder who sent us such a unique gift?"

"Uh... I don't actually know, believe it or not," Foxtail admitted. "I saw it was from a coffee company and it had our address on it, so I just-"

"What the fuck, Foxtail?!"

"Huh?" Foxtail turned at the outburst.

Carol craned her neck to see what on earth was going on.

Laser stomped back into view with an open crate, chest heaving.

"What's gotten into ya?" Foxtail asked.

"You opened my mail!"

"Your-" she paused and squinted. "Oh. That does have your name on it. Sorrey 'bout that, Laser - I guess I must've missed it." She chuckled, rubbing at the back of her neck.

"Sorrey? Sorrey?! It's my mail! That's- that's a crime!"

 _The 193X Federal Mail Act, Article 2, subsection B_ , Carol's brain helpfully supplied.

"Aw, come on Laser," Carol said soothingly, "Foxtail didn't mean to-"

"Don't you take that tone with me, _boy_ ," Foxtail growled, glaring down at Laserblast.

"Then maybe _you_ shouldn't have opened my _mail_ ," Laserblast growled right back.

Carol didn't have an alpha's keen sense of smell, but even she could pick up the bitter, spicy scent in the air. It was enough to raise the hair on her arms and the back of her neck. The urge to submit was strong, but she'd been around enough angry alphas during hero training to shake the worst of it off.

"What are they doing?" Dr. Greyman said uneasily. "I've never seen this before."

"Buhbuhbuh buh," Rippy said before throwing her head back and downing her entire cup of coffee in one go.

"Dominance fight?" Dr. Greyman echoed, sounding even more alarmed.

"I said _stand down_ ," Foxtail said, tail bristling. "I'm the _leader_ of this team and you are _subordinate_ to me."

Carol could feel El-Bow shaking next to her, snapping her out of her pheromone haze. Just because she could bear the assault on her senses didn't mean everyone could.

"That's enough, you two," she scolded, voice shaking only a little. "Foxtail made a mistake, but said she was sorrey. So why don't we-"

Both alphas turned to her, snarling with teeth bared. Carol stood her ground, certain she was about to feel the full brunt of angry alpha pheromones when-

"Buh buh!" Rippy said, leaping between them, spraying scent dampening mist at the two other alphas.

Carol could almost see their higher brain functions coming back online.

Laser snatched the open coffee tin, crammed it into the crate with the others, and stormed out.

She felt a careful, slightly sweaty touch to her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" El-Bow asked. "You're shaking."

She smiled. "I'm okay, El-Bow. Thanks."

"I could've handled that better," Foxtail muttered and dropped her mug in the sink with a clatter. "I'm sor- I'm gonna go work out."

She left before Carol could say anything.

"Looks like this one's already paid for," the delivery person said, squinting at the receipt. The pimply-faced beta handed over the cardboard box somewhat reluctantly.

"Do you usually box up your takeout like that?" Laserblast asked. He'd never ordered food from there before, so it could be some sort of gimmick. He breathed in the spicy scent of curry, his mouth watering.

"No," the delivery person said, "but the guy paid us real good to put it in a box first. Uh, I mean-" Their voice cracked, suddenly nervous.

Thought so. Laserblast grinned down at his meal, feeling giddy.

"-still like a tip, though, for coming up-"

They were still talking? Laserblast shut the door in their face.

"Okay, have a nice day!" they said, voice muffled through the door. Laserblast was already heading to his suite.

He wedged his chair under the door, a habit he'd been indulging more and more frequently. He deposited the box of curry on his desk, already dialing a familiar number.

"Helloooo?" Lad - _Lord_ Boxman's familiar croon crackled through the speaker.

"Hey Boxy," Laser said, already smiling. "So... curry?"

"Well, it was pizza last night. I wouldn't want to get repetitive, you know."

Laser chuckled. It still felt strange not having to force a laugh. Boxman just managed to bring it out of him effortlessly, just by existing. Sometimes, Laser worried he'd forget how to 'properly' smile for the cameras.

"You know what'd be even better?" Laser said. "If you were here to eat it with me."

There was a short pause on the other end. "I want to. Really," Boxman said. "I miss- it's nice having you around. Eheh. You know how it is."

_Translation: I miss you._

Laser smiled. "Yeah, yeah. Your top secret project."

"I'm- I'm really hoping it'll be worth it," Boxman said, soft like a confession. "I want to do things right."

Laserblast rubbed under his nose, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "Well the curry smells amazing, so you're doing _that_ right."

"Ha! Success! Er, I mean... I knew you'd love it." Boxman cleared his throat. "Anyway, you should eat up while it's still hot."

"I will, I will..."

"And, uh, Laser?"

"Mmh?"

"Make sure to check your mail tomorrow."

Laser grinned, giddy as always at the prospect of another gift. "Will do. Night, Boxy."

"Night, Laser! Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs-" Click.

Laser rolled his eyes, wondering if Boxman even knew he'd cut himself off. That ridiculous villain... He wrapped his arms around himself and spun in his chair, that same giddy feeling from before filling him to overflowing.

The next morning brought cookies - lumpy and a little crispy in places, but clearly made with great care. He took a hesitant bite, then moaned at the surprising warm, gooey center. Chocolate chip, with a cherry flavored fudge-like substance in the middle.

"Whacha got there, Laser?" Sparks asked innocently.

Laser choked. "Whuh du fug?!" He coughed around the crumbs in his throat until his airway cleared. "Sparks, what are you doing here?"

"Just checkin' my mail is all. Did someone send you cookies? Can I have one?"

Laserblast's first instinct was to shout "No!" So was his second and third. But he knew that would only raise suspicions - which he couldn't afford after the coffee incident.

"I guess," he said reluctantly.

She beamed and scooted up close, smelling like a pine forest on a sunny day. It wasn't a bad smell, but Laser resented it for covering up the faint metallic smell from his m- his Boxy.

_Getting a little ahead of yourself there, Laser..._

"Oh!" Sparks squeaked, blushing bright red. "Er, never mind. I didn't realize it was _that_ kind of gift!"

He followed her gaze to the thin strip of leather nestled between rows of cookies.

_Shit._

By the time he looked up, she was gone.

Rippy knew something was up when Silverspark came tearing out of the elevator like a bat out of heck.

"[Sparks?]"

Silverspark froze, turning her head to look at Rippy slowly.

"Oh," she said, smelling of sour sweat and guilt. "Hey there, Rippy! How're you doing?"

"[I'm fine,]" Rippy said slowly, a little alarmed. "[Why are you-?]"

The elevators opened once more to admit Laserblast - up waaaay earlier than usual - carrying a cardboard box protectively.

He took in the two of them, then scowled at Silverspark, radiating intimidating pheromones sharp enough to tickle Rippy's nose.

"[Laser-?]"

He stormed off to his room without a word.

"Oh shoot," Silverspark said miserably.

Rippy had always been a very curious person. Cassie had teased her about it back in school.

"[Coffee?]" Rippy offered innocently, pulling her travel coffee machine out of her pouch.

Silverspark bit her lip, inadvertently displaying the adorable gap between her teeth. "Oh, what's the use?" she said glumly. "Sure."

"[Laser seems a bit upset,]" Rippy said, casually yet sympathetically, topping up her own mug and pouring Silverspark a cup before dumping the rest of the pot into her own mouth.

"Yeah..." Silverspark said with a grimace. "I kind of... saw something I wasn't supposed to."

"[Oh?]" Rippy's curiosity piqued sharply.

Silverspark's shoulders hunched even more as she tried to make herself small. It reminded Rippy painfully of Cassie and she felt a sudden ache of longing for her future mate.

 _Two more years,_ she reminded herself sternly. _Let her finish her internship, you goof. You're not one of_ those _alphas._

"[Cream and sugar?]" Rippy Roo offered, shaking off the familiar ache as always.

"Sure," Silverspark said, holding out her mug with an expression of gratitude, "I'd love some sugar."

Rippy doled out a couple scoops from the jar in her interdimensional pouch - she really needed to organize the dang thing - until Silverspark told her to stop. They sipped their coffee in silence, listening as the heroes of POINT started to stir. Rippy was pretty sure she heard Foxtail stumble into the weight room for her morning workout, and judging from the rattling of the pipes, El-Bow was taking his morning shower.

"Hey, Rippy?" Silverspark's voice startled her out of her contemplation.

"[Yeah, Sparks?]" Rippy sipped her coffee.

"Why would an alpha be given a collar?"

Rippy spat out a veritable fountain of coffee into Silverspark's face.

"[WHAT?!]"

Silverspark cringed. "Sorrey, I- Forget I said anything."

Too late for that. Suddenly a lot of puzzle pieces were falling into place.

"[I suppose,]" Rippy said carefully, "[An alpha would get a collar for the same reason anyone else would.]"

Silverspark's eyes went wide as she leaned in. "Really? I thought alphas didn't get courted!" she whispered.

"[Not usually,]" Rippy said, mind racing. "[Unless it was another alpha doing the courting.]"

" _No way!_ I would've thought they'd handle things the beta way. You know, dating as equals?"

"That's, um, kind of closed minded of you," El-Bow said from behind them, startling both women.

"El-Bow!" Silverspark squeaked, squeezing Rippy hard enough to knock the wind out of her. Rippy just grimaced, chagrined. It must have been Dr. Greyman in the shower, not El-Bow.

And there went their scents again. Cob, they were unbearable when they were together. Pine trees and fruit smelled good, of course, but not when the scents were so thick that Rippy could hardly breathe!

"What do you mean by closed minded?" Silverspark asked, letting go of Rippy, much to her relief.

"Well, to a lot of people, courtship is a sign of respect," El-Bow said. He tugged at his neck bow, settled just low enough on his throat to be socially acceptable. "It's- well. It's not about partners not being equal, so much as honoring them." El-Bow blushed furiously. "At least, that was what I was taught," he muttered, clearly having lost his nerve.

"I'm sorrey, El-Bow. I guess I never thought of it that way." Silverspark offered a soft, faintly sheepish smile to the omega. There was a sudden, even more absurd surge of fruity, lovesick omega pheromones.

Poor guy... Silverspark was smart, but a little oblivious sometimes. Rippy tried to stay out of it, but...

"I guess I just never really thought of Laserblast as the type of alpha who'd want to be courted, is all."

"Laserblast?!" El-Bow squawked.

Silverspark paled. "Me and my big mouth..."

Rippy was beyond words, and just buried her face in her paws.

Laserblast stared at the collar in his hands. He'd been locked away in his room all day, feigning illness whenever Foxtail or Dr. Greyman came calling. They bought it, which told him Silverspark hadn't blabbed to them at least.

Cob, what a mess...

He twisted the thin leather strap in his fingers. It was buttery soft, clearly made from the finest material. Really, he should have expected this. He'd pretty much asked Boxman to court him.

He hadn't expected Boxman to actually _do_ it.

He wanted to put it on. To show the world that he, Laserblast, was wanted, desirable. That there was someone who saw him as more than a pretty-boy hero.

Of course, that would raise questions with the team.

They'd want to know about his mate. They'd want to know why he kept it a secret.

What if they found out about Boxman? What if they found out about his glorb research?

If he got rid of it, he could play the whole thing off as an obsessive fan. All he'd have to do would be to pull her aside, say a few words about some 'disturbing mail' he'd been getting - Cob, he had evidence to prove it. Some of his fans were outright creepy with their hero worship. But he could play the whole incident with the collar off as harassment and blame his secrecy on shame, not wanting to admit it was a problem. He could see it now - her eyes going big and watery, 'Oh Laser, I never knew! I'm so sorrey that's happened to you. Of course I'll keep it a secret!'

But Boxy would be hurt. He probably _was_ hurt already - after all Laser hadn't answered any of his texts today.

Cob, what a mess...

He heard a knock.

"Buhbuh?"

Laserblast feigned a cough. "Sorrey, Rippy," he croaked in his best facsimile of a sick person, "I'm not feeling well, so-"

"Buh buh buh Buhbuhbhh."

Shit.

He knocked the chair out from under the doorknob and cracked the door open just enough to yank her inside.

"Okay, okay, listen..." Think, Laser, think! He sat on the bed to buy time, twisting the collar in his hands.

"Buh buh... buhbuh buhbuh?" She hopped up next to him with a nervous smile.

Laserblast nodded - whether he told the truth or lied about it being harassment, the courtship was a given.

"Buh buhbuh buh buh buh buh buhbuhbuh buh buh buh buh, buh?"

"I guess it's a little scary. Wait, we?"

Rippy smiled and reached into her pouch, pulling out a framed photograph with something like reverence. The photo featured an avian-adjacent with a long blue neck and yellow eyes smiling nervously into the camera.

"Oh. Uh... who's that?" Laser asked.

"Buhbuh." Rippy stared down at the photo lovingly.

"Cassie, huh?" I can use this, Laser thought. "He looks nice."

"Buh."

"Oh, sorrey, she. I thought with the waddle- er, never mind."

"Buh buh buhbuh buh buh."

"Dating? Not courting?"

"Buh buh buhbuh."

"Even if she's a beta, you're an alpha! Why wouldn't you...?"

"Buh buhbuh buhbuh buh buh buh buh buh buh buhbuh."

Yeah, Laser could understand that. He'd been willing to try that too, for Boxy. But Boxman had caved to what Laser wanted.

And now Laser was ignoring his texts and considering lying to save his own reputation.

_Cob, I'm an asshole._

"Are you ever, uh. Scared?" He ruffled his hair, realizing only then that he hadn't been wearing his helmet. He felt shockingly naked. "That people will judge you or your relationship? You're a pro hero now - everything you do is going to be public knowledge."

"Buhbuh," Rippy said softly. "Buh buh buh buh."

"Yeah, I guess it _is_ worth it." Laser looked at the collar in his hands.

"Buh buh buh buhbuh?" Rippy asked.

"Yeah, he does." Boxman treated him more than just 'alright', that was for sure. Laser smiled, remembering at the last second to tune it into one of his appropriately heroic smiles. With hands barely shaking, he fastened the collar around his own neck.

"How do I look?"

"Buhbuh." Rippy flashed him a thumbs up and a grin, hopping off the bed and making for the door.

Yeah, that made sense, considering that he _felt_ happy.

"Hey, Rippy? Thanks."

"Check the news tomorrow?" Mr. Logic repeated. "That's all he said?"

Boxman nodded, still wringing his hands as he paced. "Oh, I don't know what to think, Logic! He said he wanted to be courted. Did I rush the collar? I rushed it, didn't I? Oh, I can't believe I blew it!"

"He sent it last night," Mr. Logic observed. "At 10:12 PM. Perhaps his response is already on the news?"

Boxman chewed on his talons, making no move to reach for the remote to the workshop television.

Mr. Logic finally picked it up himself and flipped it to the news.

"Hundreds mourn as the hottest hero in Neo Riot City declares himself off the market!"

Boxman looked up, eyes going wide. There on the screen was Laserblast, head down, but with a determined slant to his mouth.

Wearing Boxman's collar.

"He. He's wearing it?" Boxman felt almost dizzy with relief. "He's accepted my courtship?"

"It certainly appears so," Mr. Logic said mildly. He had a small, smug smile on his face.

Suspiciously so.

"You already knew, didn't you?" Boxman said, tapping his claws against his chin.

Mr. Logic just smiled.

"Brat."

Laserblast heard a tapping at his window and smiled.

"So I see you got my message?" He grinned, helping Boxman in through the window.

"Loud and clear, you drama queen." Boxman rolled his mismatched eyes as he said it, but his crooked smile took any possible sting out of his words.

Laser grinned and flung himself back into his desk chair, head cocked to display the thin promise collar around his neck. "Mm, perhaps it's the villain in me."

"I'll put the villain in you, alright..."

They both cackled, only to stop when they heard a knock at the door.

"Laser, can you turn it down? Whatever show you're watching is giving me the heebie-jeebies!"

Laser grit his teeth, exchanging exasperated looks with Boxman.

"Sure thing, Greyman!" Laser called back in his chipper hero voice. "I didn't realize how high the volume was."

"What's his problem?" Boxman muttered, sending the door a dirty look.

"They aren't used to hearing me really laugh," Laser said with a shrug.

Boxman hopped up to sit on the desk. "That boring, huh?"

"No, not really... okay, a little... but they do make me laugh sometimes. I just. Have to laugh a certain way. You know, for my image."

Laser demonstrated his more sanitized chuckle, trailing off when he realized Boxman was staring at him.

He scratched at his stubble. "I mean, I do the same thing with my smile. Expressions in general, really. And posture, of course. Image is very important for heroes."

Boxman was still watching him, something almost like pity in his gaze.

"Wanna stick it to 'em?" Boxman offered.

"Oh Boxy, I - well, they have a very good alarm system, so any attack would-"

"Er, I meant we could fuck right under their noses. Do you... want to take down POINT?"

"Haha, no... ha..."

He grasped Boxman's hips and tugged him closer. "Let's go back to talking about sex," he purred.

Boxman grinned, catching Laser's stomach with his foot to push him back into his chair. "You stay right there, Laser - I'm coming to you."

Boxman stood on Laserblast's desk, already unbuckling his belt. Laserblast lounged back in his chair to enjoy the show.

Boxman tugged his belt free and dropped it to the floor with a faint thump before he started on his fly. Laser thought that was an excellent idea and did the same, drawing his already half-hard cock free with a sigh of relief.

Boxman pushed his pants and boxers down his hips and Laserblast tried not to drool as the omega rubbed at the red marks the clothes left on his skin. He felt oddly jealous that Boxman's clothes could mark him and he couldn't - not yet anyway. Soon, he hoped.

He idly stroked his cock and imagined sinking his teeth into Boxman's neck, Boxman's teeth in his own. He bared his own neck, peering down his nose to watch Boxman's mismatched hands fumble at his tie.

"Fuck it," Boxman muttered, dropping it onto the desk and crawling into Laserblast's lap. Laser smirked and reached up under his shirt to squeeze those soft round pecs.

"Your fault for wearing so many layers," Laser teased. He wrapped his arms around Boxman's body and allowed his fingers to creep down between his cheeks to rub at the base of his slit.

Boxman huffed, but arched back into his touch. "Hurry up," he snapped, wriggling back onto Laser's fingers. "Hng, fuck..."

"Be quiet, Boxy," Laser warned in a whisper, "they can't know you're here."

"Ngh... hah... m-make me, hero boy...." Boxman had that mischievous glint in his flesh eye. If given the opportunity, Boxman would push - get louder and louder until Laser put his foot down.

Of course, where was the fun in that if Laser didn't do some pushing of his own?

Laser grabbed the discarded tie, usually knotted modestly at the base of Boxman's throat, lower than any collar would be. Boxman arched his eyebrows curiously, only to let out a muffled squawk when Laser stuffed it in his mouth.

Laser offered a wicked smirk of his own, adding another finger to the ones already hard at work stretching Boxman open.

Boxman reached for the makeshift gag, eyes narrowing when Laser lightly swatted his hands away with his own free one.

"Gotta keep quiet, Box."

Boxman rolled his eyes and ground back, letting out a muffled moan. Laser could feel Boxman's cock rubbing against his stomach even through their shirts.

He tugged his fingers mostly free, keeping his hole spread wide.

Boxman gripped his shoulder with his avian hand and held Laserblast's cock steady with his human hand as he guided it inside him.

Boxman moaned, cheeks flushing a lovely shade of pink as he sank down. Laser shifted his grip to those broad hips and dug his fingers into the soft flesh.

Boxman shifted, letting out a huff of air as he got his stubby legs beneath him.

"Are you going to ride me, Boxy?" Laser murmured with a smug grin. "Hrrk!"

Boxman smiled around the gag, displaying the way his sharp teeth dug into the fabric, even as his fingers remained hooked in Laserblast's collar.

Laser grinned, baring his neck but trusting Boxman not to bite. Boxman leaned forward, pressing his nose into his neck. Boxman raised, then lowered himself onto his dick, yanking at Laser's collar anytime he tried to speed up the pace.

He could smell hot metal and the sharp tang of adrenaline and ached to thrust up into that tight, welcoming heat. He bit his lip, feeling Boxman's slit tighten around him, his claws digging into Laserblast's shoulder. Slowly, Boxman amped up, still far too leisurely for Laserblast's tastes.

The grip on his collar tightened as their pace increased. Boxman was practically bouncing on his cock at this point, chest heaving with effort. His grip on the collar was so tight that it left Laser feeling floaty and light-headed - that or it was the sheer arousal of watching Boxman fuck himself on his cock.

"Close, Boxy," he wheezed, toes curling against the carpet.

He felt a huff of air against his neck before the hand at his collar let go long enough to guide one of Laser's hands from Boxman's waist to his cock. Laserblast began stroking obediently, letting out a hiss of pleasure when Boxman's fingers returned to his collar. Cob, he hoped it left a mark - maybe even a bruise. It wasn't a bite, but it seemed almost as good as it to Laser's admittedly foggy mind.

Boxman's cock was so hot in his grip and drops of pre-come leaked from the tip. He was already close. He swiped his thumb over the head on the next upstroke and Boxman came with a muffled shout. Laserblast's heart pounded in his ears - he was sure that any moment now, he'd hear the stomp of feet as Foxtail - or, Cob forbid, one of the junior members - came to check on him. But it was too late to stop - his balls were drawing tight and he could feel the first spurts of come escaping him. He bit his lip almost hard enough to draw blood and pressed his cheek to mussed, mint green hair as his orgasm rocked through him.

He had just a moment to be glad he hadn't popped a knot before his fears were realized and he heard knocking at the door.

"Laser?" Sparks called. "Are you okay in there?"

"Yup! Absolutely!" he called back, scrambling for Boxman's clothes. The villain had already found his underwear and was pulling on his briefs hurriedly before Laser even located his belt.

"You just sounded kind of... in pain?"

"Banged my knee. Really, it's nothing." Laser threaded Boxman's belt through the loops as Boxman zipped up his pants.

"I didn't hear any banging sound..." Sparks said doubtfully.

Boxman grimaced at his wet and slightly shredded tie, then tucked it into his pocket.

Laser winced and mouthed an apology.

"Well, I did. But maybe you only heard after, when I stubbed my toe."

"You stubbed your toe, too?"

"Yeah, that's probably what you heard."

Boxman gestured meaningfully at Laser's crotch. The hero looked down and grimaced, grabbing a tissue to clean himself up before tucking his dick away.

'Do you need-?' Laser mouthed.

Boxman shook his head and returned 'Back home' in kind.

"Er, do you need ice or something? I've got some frozen peas you could use as an ice pack-"

"Nope, no! I'm good," Laser called, boosting Boxman back up to the window.

"Well, if you're sure..."

"Yup. 100% A-okay," Laser chirped.

Boxman tugged him forward by his tank top for one last toe-curling kiss.

"See you later, Laser," Boxman whispered against his lips.

"See you soon," Laser whispered back.

Boxman clambered up onto his waiting desk and took off into the night.

Silverspark watched Laser scurry back to his suite with yet another package in his grasp.

"I wonder what he's got this time," she mused.

"Buh, buh buh buhbuh buhbuh buh... buhbuh buh buhbuhbuh, buh..."

"Tokens of affection, huh?" Carol grinned. "Like love letters and poetry and stuff? That's so sweet!"

"W-well... usually it'd be more like, uh... presents? Like clothes. Or- or jewelry. Fancy stuff you don't really need."

"That makes sense!" Silverspark said. "It definitely explains all those boxes. Wonder what's in them? He doesn't strike me as a jewelry guy..."

"Buh buh buh buh buhbuhbuhbuh buhbuh," Rippy said, sipping her coffee.

"Scientific journals?" El-Bow repeated. "That, uh. That doesn't sound very romantic..."

"Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh," Rippy explained. "Buh buhbuhbuh buh buhbuh buh buh..."

"Yeah, he probably has got things with them. Besides, it's great that his future mate is so supportive of his studies! I thought Laser was gonna blow a gasket when Foxtail told him that his glorb research was too dangerous. I'm glad he's moved on to something else." She grinned mischievously, "Or should I say someone else?"

El-Bow and Rippy both groaned.

"So sue me, I'm a romantic!" Silverspark propped her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table. "I just think it's sweet, is all. It's not every day you hear about two alphas dating."

"We don't _know_ that," El-Bow pointed out reasonably.

"Would an alpha let themselves be courted by a beta? Or an omega?" Silverspark asked.

"You, uh... you have a point there."

"I guess..." Silverspark sighed, staring down at the wood grain of the table. "I guess I'm a little jealous. Alphas can have anyone, you know? Betas, omegas, even other alphas! But betas..."

Silverspark bent over the table, pressing her forehead to the cool wood.

"Betas can get courted by alphas, of course, but usually we only get to date other betas. And never like," she swallowed, voice dropping to something small and timid, "...omegas".

She stared down at the table resolutely, willing the blush away from her cheeks. She had a feeling she'd said way too much.

"Aha... sorry, just thinking is all!" She sat bolt upright, forcing a chipper tone into her voice that she didn't feel. She made to leave, but stopped when she felt a warm, slightly sweaty hand on her shoulder.

"Th- that's not true!"

"El-Bow?"

"Err..." he fiddled with his shirt bow nervously. "Well, uh, that is... betas and omegas can c-court - er, date. It's not illegal or anything. Not for the past twenty years."

"But don't omegas have, um, certain needs?" Carol tugged at a lock of blond hair.

"There are- I mean, with frequent pseudo-cycles... and, uh, there's always, um, t-toys and-"

"Oh," Silverspark squeaked. She distantly heard the scrape of a chair and Rippy hopping away. "I didn't realize! So, um... if a beta, for instance, _did_ want to date an omega, that'd be..."

"Y-yeah." El-Bow tugged at his mask. "That'd- that'd be nice."

"Oh." Silverspark felt a smile spreading across her face, too powerful to be stopped.

El-Bow was blushing furiously, but smiling shyly nonetheless.

"So, uh, El-Bow, do you want to-"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Laserblast said, storming into the kitchen with Dr. Greyman hot on his trail. "It isn't stolen, okay? It's just a replica!" He opened the fridge with more force than necessary to snatch a slice of leftover pizza.

"A diamond of that size and cut went missing just last night! Surely you can see why I'm concerned. I'm not saying your mate-to-be is a criminal-"

"Really? Cause that's what it sounds like!"

"Buh buhbuh buh?" Rippy scratched her ear, looking puzzled.

Silverspark decided now was not the time or place for personal revelations. A quick glance at El-Bow told her he felt the same way.

"Is something going on?" Silverspark asked.

"No," Laserblast said, glaring and clutching a glass cube to his chest.

"Yes," Dr. Greyman said floating behind and slightly above him. "That jewel is a dead ringer for the Jewelry Box - it was stolen from the natural history museum last week!"

"And I'm telling you that it isn't!" Laserblast insisted, clutching the cube protectively.

Silverspark squinted at it closer - it could be diamond. Or glass. Or a really clear crystal or quartz.

"I think Laser's right," Silverspark said. "It looks like something's engraved on it."

All five of them peered at the cube. The engraving was pretty simple - a little heart and the letters "LB".

Silverspark beamed. "Seriously, no one would carve up a gem like that - not for real! It would be a total giveaway and hurt the resale value."

"Huh. Yeah!" El-Bow smiled back at her. "That- that was real smart!"

"Buh buh!" Rippy said approvingly.

"Silverspark is right. I'm sorrey for doubting you, Laser." Dr. Greyman hung his head, sinking a full two feet lower.

"Yeah, well-"

Then the alarms blared and Foxtail burst into the room.

"Suit up, everyone! Lad Boxlord-"

"Lord Boxman," Laserblast corrected, using the villain's new name.

"- Lord Boxlad is attacking HQ, and we need to take him down!"

"Buhbuhbuh? Buh buhbuh _buh_ buhbuh buhbuhbuh…"

"Well, he hasn't actually attacked yet, but he's gonna! Let's go, team!"

Laserblast had known it was coming. Well, he'd known _something_ was coming. Boxman had plied him with food, presented him with a collar, and had been showering him with gifts for weeks now - longer than most alpha/omega courtships lasted.

(Laser tried to ignore how warm and soft that made him feel.)

So he'd known the display was coming. He'd tried not to think about it too much, of course, wanting to be surprised, but on the rare occasions when he let himself indulge, he imagined a villainous monologue or song.

He should have known Boxman would draw inspiration from his avian side.

Lord Boxman had fired explosives into the air before guiding his desk into a steep dive. He wove expertly between bits of shrapnel, spinning and looping like the desk was an extension of his own body. Laserblast had gotten so caught up in the display, he'd gotten a little singed himself!

Cob, he looked so free up there, laughing maniacally while the rest of POINT scrambled to keep out of the way.

While Laserblast couldn't deny his physical charms... (Laserblast's eyes trailed down that round, soft body against his will...) what he loved most about the villain was how free and comfortable he felt in the man's company.

His heart ached to be up there with him, raining down destruction on the world that had tried to restrain him and hold him back.

With one final burst of destructive glory, Boxman began his descent smiling broadly, his sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"Tell me," Boxman cooed, sitting on the edge of his desk, legs crossed almost daintily, "Did you enjoy my little show?"

"No, actually," Foxtail said. Her eyes were narrowed and her hands clenched into fists. "We didn't."

"She's right!" Dr. Greyman shouted. "I found your routine completely uninspired!"

"Ye- What?" Some of Foxtail bitter, angry scent faded as she stared at the alien with confusion.

"Your act was all flash and no substance!" Dr. Greyman continued, still missing the point.

"Buh... buh buh buh buh," Rippy explained quietly. "Buh buh buhbuhbuhbuhbuh."

"Hypothetical... oh. Ah. I knew that! Haha!" Dr. Greyman, who clearly had not known that, said as he pointed dramatically at Boxman.

"Laugh all you want," Boxman snarled, then smiled. He dangled his cellphone by two fingers. "I've got all I need."

"W-what?" El-Bow sputtered.

"So you made all that ruckus - for what?"

Boxman smiled and mimed zipping his lips and Laserblast had a sudden realization.

He'd spent so much of his life keeping secrets. Years resenting his own secondary gender, his feelings of inadequacy, his borrowed strength. His teammates had no idea how he felt - not really. He couldn't imagine a world where they would keep him around if they did.

Laserblast was a hero for the notoriety and power.

Laserblast hated being eye candy.

Laserblast didn't care about ethics so much as he cared about results.

His relationship with Lord Boxman was the tip of the iceberg really.

But Boxman already knew all that. He knew all those dark, nasty things about him. And here he was, courting him anyway. Displaying in front of all of POINT and taking on all their ire when he could have easily ratted Laser out. Laser had been sloppy enough hiding Boxman's tokens from his nosy teammates that he was sure Boxman would have been believed.

He'd been so caught up in keeping Boxman a secret that he hadn't even realized how Boxman was keeping all of his.

And he wasn't even using that against him.

He hadn't put a tag or marker on Laserblast's collar. He hadn't marked any of the boxes of food or presents. He hadn't pressured Laser to come out. Heck, Boxman probably would have even been fine with Laser only wearing his collar in private.

Boxman knew him. Boxman was putting his heart on the line, and doing so in a way that Laserblast wouldn't feel like he had to choose.

He'd worked with Foxtail and Dr. Greyman since he was a teenager - he had no illusions that they would ever extend him the same courtesy.

"Welp!" Boxman said, perfectly cheerful in the face of several glowering heroes, "Time to make my dastardly escape!" He whipped out the remote to his localized wormhole generator and pressed the button.

Time seemed to slow down as the box materialized beneath him. Laserblast sprang into action, diving onto the desk as the box folded up around him.

Lord Boxman blinked. His nose buried in well-worn black fabric, filling his nostrils with the scent of tart, almost spicy cherries.

"Laser?"

Laserblast let him go with a sheepish grin, showing rather more teeth than he did when he faked a smile. Honestly, Boxman had no idea how his teammates never realized how miserable he was most of the time. He had such expressive eyes, too...

Wait.

"You lost your helmet!" Boxman blurted. Laserblast seemed more amused than alarmed. "And- and what are you doing here? I thought you wanted to-"

"Boxy." A finger pressed against his lips to quiet him. "I'm done."

Boxman bit back the wounded animal noise that nearly escaped him. Had Laserblast finally tired of him?

"I... I suppose you could play it off as a reckless attack against me," Boxman said miserably. "You could take some bits of machinery to show off your victory-"

"Boxy. Box! What are you talking about?" Laserblast cupped his flesh cheek, his thumb brushing the corner of Boxman's lip. "I said I'm done. I'm sick of playing hero."

His eyes were surprisingly soft and Boxman was powerless to stop himself from leaning into his touch. "I want to stay with you."

Boxman hadn't realized his eyes had slid shut until they flew open in shock. "Wha- Really?!"

"Really," Laser confirmed, that crooked grin spreading across his face once more.

"But I only made one display! And I haven't finished the nest building and we don't even know if-" He cut himself off, not wanting to spoil the surprise.

"Really?" Boxman finally said, once more.

"Really, really," Laser said.

"Really, really, re-" he was silenced by Laserblast's lips covering his own. And really, that was the best answer he could hope for.

Laserblast should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Not that it had been easy breaking into POINT HQ undetected, even with Boxman's help.

"L-Laserblast!" El-Bow said, tugging at his shirt bow.

"Hey El-Bow," Laserblast said, mind already racing as he tried to decide how to play this.

"Have you, uh. Have you come to collect your things?"

"Why would you say that?" Laserblast said wearing one of his practiced Friendly Smiles. "Just because I tackled Boxman-"

"I know, you know," El-Bow said quietly. "I'm an omega, remember? Our sense of smell is better than even an alpha's."

Laserblast's stomach sank somewhere in the vicinity of his boots.

El-Bow toyed with Laser's helmet, tossing it from hand to hand. "He's, uh, got a pretty distinctive smell. I could pick it up no matter what kind of spicy food you tried to cover it up with."

 _Shit._ Laser felt sick.

"So what now?" Laser said, feigning insouciance he didn't feel. "Do you call in the cavalry? Pull the alarm? Or maybe they're already waiting outside the door ready to-"

"I'm going to help you pack."

_What?_

"They'll figure out you were here eventually, but probably not for a couple days. They tracked your phone to Sunshine City and they're making plans to go rescue you."

Thank _Cob_ they'd fallen for his and Boxman's ruse.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say," Laserblast said. "What exactly brought this on?"

"Well..." El-Bow blushed, twisting the helmet between his fingers. "You- you know he's an omega, right?"

Laser nodded.

"Is the, uh, reverse sort of courtship a, uh, villain thing?"

Laserblast licked his lips. "It's more of a me thing," he said finally. "I asked."

"He must really love you," El-Bow said softly.

"He does," Laser agreed, soft but certain.

"And- and you love him too?"

"Yes," Laserblast breathed, quiet enough that he knew it wouldn't be heard through the door.

El-Bow straightened, nodding almost to himself. "Well, I don't think we can fit everything in that bag you've got. What do you want the most?"

"Why?"

El-Bow looked up, startled.

"Why help me? Do you really want me gone that badly?" Did he see Laser as competition for Sparks even now? Had he hated Laser this entire time?

El-Bow's eyes softened even behind his luchador mask. "No, of course not," he said. "I just. You're in love." He looked down at Laserblast's helmet. "If it was me? And Sparks? I think I'd do the same."

"You're too soft, El-Bow," Laser said.

For the first time, El-Bow grinned at him without even a trace of nervousness. "I won't tell if you won't."

Laserblast returned it. "Deal."

Laser started with Boxman's courtship gifts. Not because he was sentimental, of course. That would be silly. He carefully packed away journal articles, jewels, gadgets... valuable items. Useful items.

Okay, maybe he didn't _need_ the multitool Boxman made him, but it could come in handy. And that mutation study had ended up being a total bust, but, well, maybe he'd need it someday. And maybe the fancy pen Boxman gave him had already sprung a leak, but it could probably be fixed. Maybe. Possibly.

Okay, so maybe it was a _little_ sentimental.

"Don't forget your helmet," El-Bow reminded him.

Laser shouldered his duffle bag higher on his shoulder. "Nah. I'm done with it. Consider me officially retired."

"POINT's gonna... You know they're gonna come after you. Once they realize it's a trick. To rescue you."

"I'll make sure we'll be ready."

"Did you finish with your top secret project yet?" Laser asked, settling the duffle bag onto the floor of Boxman's room.

"Oh, that?" Boxman smelled nervous, but excited. "Well, almost. Everything's built and set up. Er... mostly. Mr. Logic is still working on the piece de resistance!" Boxman said proudly with a terrible French accent.

"Last I saw, it looked like you were building a whole new wing," Laser said.

Boxman hemmed and hawed, even as he worked to clear out more space in his closet. "I- eheh. Hm... well, we. There was extensive- Expansion is important. Erm... how much more closet space do you need?"

"Smooth, Boxy," Laser teased. It was tempting to press, to try and pry Boxman's secrets from him, but it felt more of a habit than an urge born from concern. Whatever Boxman was working on, it wasn't going to hurt Laser. Maybe his team - former team - but Boxman wasn't the type to inflict lasting harm, if only because he had too much fun fighting POINT to want to rock the boat much.

Was this what trust felt like? Knowing your partner had secrets and letting them keep them?

Laserblast surveyed the closet. A decent amount of his clothes were already in it, from previous visits.

"That should be plenty," he decided, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Boxman's head. Boxman blushed furiously, flashing that gorgeous smile of his as he chuckled.

A knock at the door interrupted them.

"Coming!" Boxman called. Before he could make a move, the door opened.

"Father, good news! It appears at least two-"

"Ahem! Ix-nay of the oject-pray!"

"I... do not understand that, father."

"Let's talk outside," Boxman said as smoothly as one could through gritted teeth. He scuttled out, dragging Mr. Logic out by his shirt.

Laser watched, burning with curiosity. He trusted Boxman, but that didn't stop him from being curious as hell. He crept over to the door under the guise of retrieving clothes from his duffle and strained to make out what they were saying.

"...two have taken..."

"But can we be sure they'll actually produce...?"

Laser stumbled when the door opened suddenly. Boxman looked equal parts annoyed and amused, his hands on his hips.

"Hello, Laserblast," Mr. Logic said with a small smile.

"Uh... hey Logic," he responded, somewhat sheepishly.

"You're really that impatient, huh?" Boxman chuckled.

"Just a little curious." Laser grimaced at Boxman's distinctly unimpressed look. "Okay, desperately curious."

Mr. Logic made a noise that, had he not been robotic, Laser would have called a snort.

"Come on, Boxy," he definitely didn't whine, "You've been working on this secret project for months!"

"Of course I have! You know I'm not going to half-ass this thing with you!" As soon as Boxman said that, his mismatched eyes widened and he pinched his lips together with his avian hand as if to physically stop more words from escaping.

"So this project has to do with me?" Laser teased. The paranoid side of him whispered that Boxman was planning to betray him or hurt him, but... well, it was Boxman. Villain or not, there was no one he trusted more.

"It, uh... you know... the nest building...?" Boxman tapped his fingers and claws together, peering up at Laser nervously.

"I thought that's what we were doing," Laser said. "You're making space for me in your nest." He gestured vaguely at the open closet.

"Psh, that? That's nothing!"

"You could show him," Mr. Logic suggested.

"Well, I..." Boxman fidgeted. "I'd hoped for things to be little farther along."

"Box... I thought moving into your nest with you _was_ the nest building. I was already going to say yes to that," _you ridiculous man,_ he mentally appended fondly.

"Well, I- Really?" Boxman squeaked.

"Show him," Mr. Logic urged. "I shall look after the factory for you."

Laserblast opened his mouth to thank him, but before he could let the words out, careful talons gripped his fingers.

"Okay," Boxman said.

Laserblast's heart raced as Boxman led him deeper into the factory. At first, they seemed to be traveling the same path they took to get to Boxman's workshop, only to turn left instead of right and then down the hallway until they reached a door.

"Go ahead, Laser. Open it."

Laser did.

"Oh my Cob, Boxy..." Laserblast stepped into the lab, taking in the gleaming accoutrement and state of the art equipment. Microscopes, centrifuges, petri dishes, neatly labeled beakers filled with bubbling chemicals...

"Boxy, this is. A lab? For me?" A private place where Laser could conduct his own experiments and research. He'd been so sure he would have had to piecemeal one together in an abandoned donut shop or something. This was-

"Come on, Laser! You haven't seen the best part yet!" Boxman tugged at his hand excitedly, pulling him towards the door at the back.

Laserblast looked longingly at all the machinery - he didn't even know what all of it did! - but followed his mate-to-be anyway. Through the door, down a short hallway, through a decontamination room, into... a greenhouse. His breath caught in his throat.

"And you said you didn't have a green thumb," Laser said, voice wobbling. Cob, was that a _cosmic bonsai/venus flytrap hybrid?_ There were whole patches of poisonous flowers and toxic slime molds, too.

"I even planted some veggies in the back, if you want me to cook 'em up for you," Boxman said shyly.

Laserblast stared at him wordlessly.

"Not that we have to," Boxman blurted. "Er, we can rip them up instead, use them for-"

Laserblast set about shutting him up. With his mouth.

Laserblast was too emotional to focus on technique - all he could think about was this ridiculous little villain who somehow managed to exceed all the expectations Laser never even knew he had.

Boxman hummed into the kiss, opening up for Laser easily, gentling the kiss into something slow and passionate despite the hungry way Laser sucked on his tongue and clutched at his shoulders.

Laserblast heard the sounds of rain and broke the kiss reluctantly to look around. It appeared some sort of overhead sprinkler system was watering the slime molds.

"Sorrey, heh." Boxman rubbed the back of his head, still looking deliciously mussed. "I programmed the watering system to run on a schedule. You can turn it off or change it or-"

Laser put a finger to his lips. "It's perfect," he said softly.

He smiled as Boxman puffed up with pride.

"You think that's perfect? Wait until you see this!"

Laser allowed himself to be led deeper into the greenhouse, only for Boxman to stop him near a small line of saplings.

No, not saplings. Cuttings. Cuttings of-

"Are those from a glorb tree?" Laser whispered, hardly daring to breathe.

"Let's just say there was a reason I displayed right in front of POINT. All the better to keep their attention while Mr. Logic paid a visit to the glorb tree under the Neutral Zone. They appear to be taking well, but, er, I'm not too sure how long it'll be before they start producing-"

"I thought you didn't like me researching glorbs," Laser said. He felt numb, but something powerful was building in his gut. "That it was dangerous."

"I don't see why you need to take the risks," Boxman said. "You're the strongest hero I know. And of course you're always welcome to my weapons of mass destruction, robots, et cetera. But... it's important to you."

Boxman tapped his fingers and claws together nervously. "So, uh. What do you think?"

"Mate me."

"Eh-heh, so you like- wait what?"

"I said 'mate me.' Now." Laser paused, then added "Please," for good measure.

And that did the trick just fine.

"How- how do you want to do this?" Boxman asked, setting him down on the bed with something sheepish in his expression. Laserblast wriggled further back onto Boxman's bed before patting the space next to him.

"You're the one running the show here," Laser reminded him with a sultry grin.

"Hmm..." Boxman tapped his chin with one claw, clearly thinking it over. Laser didn't mind waiting. Boxy was a very thorough and creative lover - he was sure whatever he came up with would be more than worth the wait.

Laserblast grinned, imagining the possibilities.

"Let's start with getting you naked," Boxman said, "and go from there."

Laserblast teased his shirt up, "accidentally" revealing his abs. "Do you mind lending me a hand?" He batted his eyelashes, chuckling when Boxy pounced, knocking him back on the bed.

His shirt maaay have ripped a little, but Boxy kissing his way from his bellybutton up to his jaw more than made up for it. Laser yanked Boxman into a kiss with a firm grip on his shirt tie, allegedly in an attempt to remove it. He wasn't trying particularly hard though, not with the way Boxman's teeth were scraping over his lower lip, the way he hummed against his mouth.

"Laser," Boxman murmured, his cybernetic eye glowing, "I said strip."

Ooh, that was an order. Laserblast made an embarrassing noise high in his throat before tearing himself away like a bandaid to hurriedly get naked.

He snuck a peek at Boxman, only to see the villain literally tear his own clothes off in one smooth movement. Laser made a noise that, to the untrained ear, may have sounded like a whimper.

"On your back, Laser-baby," Boxman crooned. "I'm going to ride you."

 _And I'm going to come almost immediately,_ Laser thought as he watched Lord Boxman work his fingers into his sheath. Laserblast could already see the faintly green head of his cock emerging. Boxman was already two - no, _three_ \- fingers deep into his hole, those magnificent, jagged teeth digging into his lip.

Those will be in my neck soon, Laser thought, watching those sharp incisors dig into the soft flesh of his lower lip as the flesh reddened. The collar was buttery soft and normally a pleasant weight on his neck, but all of a sudden it felt stifling.

Should he take it off? Maybe bare his neck and beg for teeth, to be claimed? Or maybe he was supposed to bite Boxman first? That was more traditional...

His breath hissed out from between his teeth as Boxman's flesh hand wrapped around his cock and squeezed.

"Now hold still, Laser," Boxman said, straddling his hips with his spindly legs, "Don't come until I tell you to."

"Boxy, don't tease," he pleaded, using his best puppy eyes.

Boxman grinned viciously, and then he was sinking down. Down and down, squeezing around him like a vise.

"Oh fuck..." Laser breathed. He gripped Boxman's hips, fingers digging into the soft flesh hard enough to bruise.

"That's right, Laser," Boxman said. "Guide me. Show me how hard you want it."

"Boxy... Cob, I'm not gonna last if I- fuck!"

Boxman clenched around him, a wicked smirk on his face.

"What was that, Laser?"

"Please! Please, please, please-" He yelped as Boxman dragged him up by his collar. Laserblast keened. Being manhandled sent blood rushing to his cock. Cob, Boxman was so fucking _strong_. Not for an omega, just in _general._ He could barely make it for longer than five minutes when he watched Boxman working at his forge before he needed a cold shower. Right now, all he could do was try to distract himself, and dig his fingers into the soft rolls of Boxman's stomach and sides and squeeze.

"Popping a knot already?" Boxman grinned, baring his teeth.

Cob, he wanted those teeth _in_ him already, marking him, _claiming_ him-

Something must have showed on his face because Boxman's expression softened, just a bit. "Bare your neck, Laser," he said.

Laserblast arched his neck, ignoring the faint strain of the soft leather of his collar. Finally, _finally!_

He bucked up into Boxman, unable to stop the frantic thrusts of his hips. The tight heat around his cock was almost secondary, his entire focus on the fingers and talons at his throat undoing the clasp of the collar with agonizing slowness. His neck felt cold as Boxman peeled away the leather and his bonding gland seemed to throb in time with his knot. Words poured from him like water; garbled pleas mixed with Boxman's name.

Talons tangled in his hair and _pulled_ , forcing his head further to the side. Hot, damp breath puffed over his naked, vulnerable neck and then-

Teeth. Sharp and vicious and _perfect._ Deep enough to pierce his bonding gland, for Boxman's saliva to mix with highly concentrated endorphins leaking from his bonding gland into his bloodstream. Laser thrust up one final time, coming with a howl that rattled his lungs. He could feel Boxman's slit clenching, milking his knot, even as tingles of pleasure coursed through him. He was a shaking, twitching, completely oversensitive mess. He felt Boxman lapping at his neck and let out a pathetic, fucked out whimper. Careful talons combed through his hair as Boxman murmured words Laser wasn't capable of understanding at the moment, but they soothed him, nonetheless.

He could smell Boxman's arousal, still thick and potent in the air. Sparks still danced across his vision, so he was forced to rely on his nose to find the source of his need. He pressed his lips to the soft skin of Boxman's collarbone, then trailed up and in until his mouth found the bonding gland on his neck.

"Boxy?" he mumbled, hesitating for just a moment.

"Yes," Boxman whispered, permission and affirmation in one.

Laser bit down.

He could feel Boxman clench down on his knot harder than ever, could taste the sharp, coppery flavor of blood. He felt hot come splash against his stomach and growled against the broken skin of Boxman's neck.

"Mine." Boxman's voice was barely more than a growl itself, filled with covetous want. "You're mine now, Laser. No take-backs."

Laser lapped at the bite mark until the wound clotted, nuzzling at Boxman's jawline.

"Yours," Laser promised.


End file.
